1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,920 Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast, your go-to source for inside stories, cutting edge research, 2 00:00:09,920 --> 00:00:13,400 and the latest updates in the world of dairy farming. 3 00:00:13,400 --> 00:00:19,160 In our 137th episode, we look into the dream of World Dairy Expo glory. 4 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:23,720 These 12 genetic powerhouses could turn your fantasy into reality. 5 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:28,400 From proven type titans to rising genomic stars, we've got the inside scoop on the bulls 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:31,880 that'll have you polishing supreme champion hardware. 7 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:37,560 So, please grab a glass of milk, sit back, and let's get started with this episode. 8 00:00:37,560 --> 00:00:40,120 I'm Douglas, and with me is Bella. 9 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:45,880 Today we're diving deep into breeding strategies for the next World Dairy Expo Grand Champion. 10 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:46,880 That's right, Douglas. 11 00:00:46,880 --> 00:00:51,000 We're about to share some insider knowledge on the top sires that could turn show-ring 12 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:53,080 dreams into reality. 13 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:58,280 But first, let's talk about why breeding for show success is so important. 14 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:00,400 Absolutely, Bella. 15 00:01:00,400 --> 00:01:03,960 Breeding for show success isn't just about winning ribbons. 16 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:08,940 It's about pushing the boundaries of what's possible in dairy cattle genetics and showcasing 17 00:01:08,940 --> 00:01:12,040 the best of what our industry has to offer. 18 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:13,120 Exactly. 19 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:15,280 And it's not just about looks either. 20 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:20,800 The ideal show cow needs to combine outstanding type with production efficiency and longevity. 21 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaking of which, let's start with SHG LEGO, the type titan. 22 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,880 Bella, what can you tell us about him? 23 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:30,720 LEGO is reigning supreme with a plus 4.69 P-tat. 24 00:01:30,720 --> 00:01:36,400 He's siring daughters that are sky high in stature, plus 4.95, and built like brick houses, 25 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,240 2.12 strength. 26 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:43,340 But breeders should watch out for that slightly negative fat percentage, 90.06%, and daughter 27 00:01:43,340 --> 00:01:45,960 pregnancy rate, main is 2.9. 28 00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:48,440 That's a great point about fertility, Bella. 29 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:52,700 It reminds me of something I read recently about breeding strategies. 30 00:01:52,700 --> 00:01:57,960 When using high type sires like LEGO, it's crucial to balance conformation with fertility 31 00:01:57,960 --> 00:02:01,480 and longevity to ensure herd sustainability. 32 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:03,080 Absolutely, Douglas. 33 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,520 Now let's move on to red carpet story arc, the total package. 34 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:12,560 He's bringing the heat with a plus 4.56 P-tat and balanced production, plus 854 milk, plus 35 00:02:12,560 --> 00:02:15,440 24 fat, plus 26 protein. 36 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,640 But again, breeders should keep an eye on those fertility traits. 37 00:02:18,640 --> 00:02:22,040 It's interesting how fertility keeps coming up, isn't it? 38 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:26,960 It just goes to show that even when breeding for show, we can't neglect the practical aspects 39 00:02:26,960 --> 00:02:29,000 of dairy farming. 40 00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,120 You're right, Douglas. 41 00:02:30,120 --> 00:02:32,760 Now let's talk about Jim Town Nelson, our frame game player. 42 00:02:32,760 --> 00:02:35,880 He's crushing it with a plus 4.36 P-tat. 43 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:42,480 His daughters are tall, 5.47 stature, strong, plus 3.37 strength, and deep bodied, 4.07 44 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:43,720 body depth. 45 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,960 Just be prepared for some seriously sized animals. 46 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,320 These can be impressive in the show ring, but it's worth noting that larger cows may 47 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,880 have higher maintenance requirements. 48 00:02:55,880 --> 00:03:01,060 Breeders need to consider if their management system can support these larger animals. 49 00:03:01,060 --> 00:03:02,660 Great point, Douglas. 50 00:03:02,660 --> 00:03:07,760 For those looking to add some color to their herd, there's SHG Laser RC, the red hot ticket. 51 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:11,860 With a plus 4.00 P-tat, he's the top dog for red carriers. 52 00:03:11,860 --> 00:03:15,520 Red factor can certainly make a cow stand out in the ring. 53 00:03:15,520 --> 00:03:19,600 But Bella, what are your thoughts on cross breeding in show herds? 54 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:21,480 That's an interesting question, Douglas. 55 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:27,200 While purebreds dominate the show ring, cross breeding can offer benefits in terms of hybrid 56 00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:28,200 vigor. 57 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:33,880 It's a balance between maintaining breed purity and potentially improving health traits. 58 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:38,680 Moving on to proven sires, we have Golden Oaks Master ET, the Type Maestro, with a plus 59 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:40,420 3.73 P-tat. 60 00:03:40,420 --> 00:03:42,400 He's a proven type powerhouse. 61 00:03:42,400 --> 00:03:45,800 His exceptional utter traits are particularly noteworthy. 62 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:48,840 And don't forget about our Canadian friends. 63 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:54,640 Progenesis Anish is the Canadian confirmation king with an impressive plus 18 confirmation 64 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:55,640 score. 65 00:03:55,640 --> 00:03:59,720 He's redefining what it means to be a type powerhouse north of the border. 66 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:03,320 It's great to see strong genetics coming from different countries. 67 00:04:03,320 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaking of which, Haydn Limited P is another Canadian star, sharing the top spot for daughter 68 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:12,240 proven confirmation with a plus 16 score. 69 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:13,760 Plus he's polled. 70 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:16,840 Polled genetics are becoming increasingly popular. 71 00:04:16,840 --> 00:04:22,880 It's a great example of how breeding goals are evolving to include animal welfare considerations. 72 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:24,480 Absolutely, Bella. 73 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:29,640 Now, for those interested in famous cow families, there's three-star O Ranger Red ET, the Shakira 74 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:30,640 connection. 75 00:04:30,640 --> 00:04:36,620 He brings the genetic potential of Herbacress Snapple Shakira EX974E to your herd. 76 00:04:36,620 --> 00:04:41,680 Famous cow families can certainly add some star power to a breeding program. 77 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:46,360 But it's important to remember that individual animal performance is what really counts in 78 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:48,080 the show ring. 79 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:49,320 Great point, Bella. 80 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,320 Mr. Lambda Flame ET carries on the Footloose legacy, promising exceptional dairy character 81 00:04:54,320 --> 00:04:55,880 and stature. 82 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:02,160 He's a direct son of Oakfield Solomon Footloose, the 2022 World Dairy Expo Supreme Champion. 83 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:06,280 And finally, we have Blondin Energy, the rising star. 84 00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:10,380 With a plus 4.05 P-tat, he's definitely one to watch. 85 00:05:10,380 --> 00:05:14,840 His high numbers on both sides of the border make him an intriguing option for breeders. 86 00:05:14,840 --> 00:05:17,600 Now, Bella, we've covered a lot of ground here. 87 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,880 What's the bottom line for our listeners? 88 00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:22,040 The bottom line is this. 89 00:05:22,040 --> 00:05:27,440 With these genetic powerhouses in your arsenal, that World Dairy Expo dream is no longer a 90 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:28,440 fantasy. 91 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:30,320 It's a goal with a roadmap. 92 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:35,560 But remember, even with elite genetics, there's no substitute for good management, proper 93 00:05:35,560 --> 00:05:39,760 nutrition and attention to detail in preparing animals for the show ring. 94 00:05:39,760 --> 00:05:40,760 Absolutely. 95 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:45,440 And it's worth noting that while we focused on type traits today, a successful breeding 96 00:05:45,440 --> 00:05:51,000 program needs to balance show ring appeal with practical traits like production efficiency, 97 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:53,360 fertility and longevity. 98 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,200 That's right, Douglas. 99 00:05:55,200 --> 00:05:59,920 According to recent research, the dairy industry is refining selection indexes to place greater 100 00:05:59,920 --> 00:06:06,600 emphasis on traits such as animal welfare, health, longevity and environmental sustainability. 101 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:09,800 It's an exciting time in dairy breeding, Bella. 102 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:14,080 The tools available to breeders today from genomic selection to advanced reproductive 103 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:19,760 technologies offer unprecedented opportunities to make rapid genetic progress. 104 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:21,760 Indeed, Douglas. 105 00:06:21,760 --> 00:06:25,140 But with great power comes great responsibility. 106 00:06:25,140 --> 00:06:29,680 Breeders need to have clear goals and use these tools wisely to create cows that not 107 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:33,600 only look great in the show ring, but also perform well in the barn. 108 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:34,840 Well said, Bella. 109 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:36,920 Any final words of advice for our listeners? 110 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:42,120 Yes, I'd encourage all breeders to stay informed about the latest developments in dairy genetics 111 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:44,200 and breeding technologies. 112 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:49,160 And remember, breeding a champion is a marathon, not a sprint. 113 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:55,200 It takes patience, persistence and a willingness to continually learn and adapt your strategy. 114 00:06:55,200 --> 00:06:56,880 Excellent advice, Bella. 115 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:01,020 Before we wrap up, let's quickly recap the key takeaways for our listeners. 116 00:07:01,020 --> 00:07:02,020 Great idea, Douglas. 117 00:07:02,020 --> 00:07:04,920 Here are the main points to remember. 118 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:09,080 One, invest in top genetic bulls to improve your herd's show potential and production 119 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:10,080 traits. 120 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:16,320 Two, balance conformation with fertility and longevity to ensure herd health and sustainability. 121 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:21,360 Three, monitor daughter pregnancy rate and cow conception rate when planning breedings. 122 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:27,240 Four, choose sires with high PTAT and production scores for a competitive edge in show rings. 123 00:07:27,240 --> 00:07:32,320 Five, consider using a mix of proven sires and rising genomic stars for a diversified 124 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:33,960 genetic approach. 125 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:39,400 Six, don't neglect functional traits when focusing on show type characteristics. 126 00:07:39,400 --> 00:07:43,880 Seven, stay informed about industry trends and new genetic technologies. 127 00:07:43,880 --> 00:07:46,120 Those are excellent points, Bella. 128 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,560 I'd also add that breeders should always consider their specific herd goals and management style 129 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:52,840 when selecting sires. 130 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,280 What works for one farm may not be the best choice for another. 131 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:58,240 Absolutely, Douglas. 132 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:02,160 It's all about finding the right balance for your individual operation. 133 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:08,000 Thanks for joining us for this in-depth discussion on breeding strategies for show ring success. 134 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,380 And thank you to our listeners for tuning in to the Bullvine Podcast. 135 00:08:12,380 --> 00:08:15,600 Until next time, keep breeding for excellence. 136 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:18,520 Thank you for tuning in to the Bullvine Podcast. 137 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:21,800 We hope you enjoyed today's insightful discussion. 138 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,240 Don't forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. 139 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:30,480 Catch you next time on the Bullvine Podcast, where bovine expertise and community come 140 00:08:30,480 --> 00:08:58,480 together.